The Lydney Institute, Lydney, Gloucestershire.

Lydney Institute

A
rare photo of the Lydney Institute built in the 1896 (1). Lydney Secondary
School, the fore-runner to Lydney Grammar School began here in 1903.
The Institute was eventually surrounded by school buildings. It was demolished
in 1994 (1) and was replaced by residential housing.
(1) Victoria County History - A History of the County of Gloucester:
Volume 5.

John Bunker added (Feb 2009): "There used to be art classes here, I
believe on Saturday afternoons. In the early 60's my brother Adrian and I
were persuaded by Maud Hadley of 3 Regent St to sit for life classes and
were paid the princely sum of 6d each for every sitting. I wonder what
happened to those paintings?".

Lesley Parker, (Tasmania, Australia) added Mar 2009: "Yes, my sister (Rosemary Parker) and I
(Lesley Parker) used to go to art classes, but I think it was on a
Saturday morning, and I think it cost 3d each time. I think the teachers
were Mr Rice and Mr Perkins; it was held in the front rooms of the second
storey, as were the art lessons for Lydney Grammar. One year while at
Lydney Grammar School (1963-1967) a lot of the classes were involved in
making a "stained-glass" window for Christmas; The "framework" of the
windows was made from cardboard painted black around the edges, and arched
at the top to look like church windows, with "divisions" to look like lead
that we cut out with knives; into the spaces we had to stick see-through
coloured paper (after all these years I forget what it was called!). From
the street it looked stunning at night and I wonder if it was ever
photographed. Does anyone know?.
I think the rooms behind the front ones were the DS lab (domestic
science) and the ground floor held the physics, biology and chemistry labs.
I'm not entirely sure of this; maybe someone can correct me. Next to the
DS lab was the 6th-form study room, where violin lessons were also held".

Terry Mills added (May 2009): "On the ground floor to the left of the
entrance, was the main room for Snooker.
It had angled shelves where the daily newspapers were spread out for the members to
read. To the right of the entrance was the Table Tennis Room. This had a double
row of seats each side of the room for spectators. Behind the Table Tennis
Room came another snooker room for non-match players. The rest of the
ground floor was occupied by Grammar School labs".

Graham Turner added (September 2009): "The Institute occupied the ground
floor. The first floor was Lydney Art School. The principal was Eric Rice,
staff included Stuart Perkins, Handel Protheroe, Barbara Taylor(?) and
other staff whose names temporarily escape me. Tuition was conducted to
Intermediate Diploma level. The sculpture/pottery department was accessed
further down the main road. Any comments that complete the gaps in my
memory would be welcome. I was a student from 1958-1959. Come on John
Belcher, help me out!".

Roger Price added (November 2009): "I went to Lydney Grammar school between 1964-71 and remember the Art School being there. We had art teachers from it for our lessons. I recall Mr Cotton, Miss Wood and Mr Protheroe. In 1969-70 when I was in the 6th form I had art classes there and recall the students in the art school were able to play records of Hendrix and Chicken shack during the drawing sessions. I envied them. There was a teacher there at that time called Lawrence Berryman who looked a bit "hippy" like to our conservative habits and he was a nice guy. One Friday there was trip to London to see the art galleries (December 1969 I think) and it was the first time I had been to London, it was very impressive and I recall my shoes leaked! I think the Art school closed in 1970 and the students were dispersed. What happened to the teachers I do not know. I recall seeing the building demolished along with the Grammar school. It was sad".

Graham Page added (July 2010): "... I was a student at the Lydney Art School 1957 to 1959. In addition to Handel Protheroe and Eric Rice there was the sculpture ceramic instructor Dick Fowler. After the closing Dick moved to Cheltenham College of Art. Students I remember: John Dya, Garry Ferris, Anne Kettle, Tony Gittins. After working in advertising in London I moved to Canada in the early 60's where I taught art at a college in Alberta for thirty years. Sad to see the old Stute demolished"

John Edwards added (August 2010): "... I attended LGS from 1936 to 1943. In 1942 School Certificate was looming. It was necessary to pass in six subjects, one of which had to be English. The Possible grades were Distinction, Credit and Pass one Credit was required. But you could take up to nine subjects, which I thought was a good idea since I could afford to fail in three. Unfortunately I could only find eight that I had any chance of passing. So it was suggested that I should go see Maud Hadley in The Institute. I explained to her that I was mildly Red-Green color blind etc etc.but Maud was completely unfazed. The rules did not say that you had to paint anything so we were just going to use a pencil. Time has erased all details of the actual exam but the amazing result was a CREDIT. My respect for Maude and The Institute has been sky high ever since".

Stuart Perkins added (May 2012): "... I started at the Art School in January 1960 taking over the Sculpture and Pottery dept from Dick Fowler who became head of Sculpture at Cheltenham Art College. The Art School survived through several inspections as a separate entity until 1967 when it was amalgamated with the then Cinderford Mining Tech, becoming the Art department of the College of further Education.
Full time staff around 1960 were E J Rice - Principal, H E Prothero i.c. painting & drawing mostly ensconced in the large room 1st floor left, Hilary Isles i.c. dressmaking and general Art in the large room front right centre, 1st floor front was the Principals office. I was hidden away down the road past the institute buildings in the Pottery sculpture buildings. Teaching full time art students both disciplines including wood carving clay modelling and pottery also 6th form pottery classes always very popular and several day and evening classes of part time adults. Around 1961 a Mr Cotton was appointed for general art i.e. the teaching of the grammar school pupils for which the Art School had responsibilty but soon disappeared into the haven of Rolles College in Devon. Of the part time staff two stalwarts stand out Maud Hadley of course who had been in her younger days the teacher of all things in the institute but latterley concentrated on basket making and Mrs Cresswell who had her own busy dressmaking classes for adults. After Hilary Isles as fulltime dressmaker came Joan Chatterley and in 1964/65 came Margaret Wilcox & Lawrence Berryman took on the bulk of general art and on his departure a came a Richard Wills. After the 1967 amalgamation Richie and I were teaching most of the Intermediate Art courses with E J Rice now vice principal of the Cinderford college and H E Prothero taking over responsibility for the art dept and all the many Extra Mural classes which had been the mainstay of the Art School. Ground floor centre back was in its heyday the Institute Library removed by council workers with shovels and pick up truck".

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